Not too long ago, we heard the iconic- ‘ Pasta pasta Dekho aankh meri ladi hai’ and instantly had our mouths filled with water thinking of the deliciously cheesy and spicy Macaroni Italian pasta. Despite being around 7 decades old, Pasta is still evolving every day in its shape, presentation, and even taste. There are almost 350+ different types of Pasta in the world, and the number is still growing. Today we are going to list down 8 such types of Pasta based on their name and shapes along with their screen-licking images.
Pasta, as we all know, is usually made from a dough of wheat along with water or eggs. This dough is then molded into various shapes and sizes for better suitability to hold sauces or ingredients of a particular dish. For example- Farfalle pasta can hold more cheese in its wings due to its bow-tie shape and is usually used in a cheesy dish. And in the same manner, different types of Pasta hold different significances and are all equally delicious.
Well, I can’t truly wait to begin this article, filled with cream-flowing, herb-smoking, mind-boggling Italian Pasta. So let’s start this already, or I might water you all with just words.
List of Types of Pasta Shapes & Dishes
We have mentioned 8 popular types of Pasta in this list, along with their name, shape, picture and significance. Additionally, we have mentioned the different dishes made using them according to their significance.
1. Spaghetti type of Pasta.
Presenting to you with drumrolls- the most popular type of Pasta ever, the SPAGHETTI! So popular that it even has a holiday after it. It is a long, thin and cylindrical type of pasta that makes it suitable for various sauces, herbs, and meat.
Despite having a not so fancy shape like others in this list, it is the most popular Pasta due to its convenience and versatility. So it is convenient to make that it can be easily homemade and is so versatile that it has almost over 100+ variety of dishes in the USA alone.
It is best known for its combination with red sauce and meatballs which is also one of the most popular Pasta dishes in the world.
Popular Dishes
Meatball Spaghetti, Crock-pot Spaghetti, Super-Creamy Three-Cheese Spaghetti and Pasta Pomodoro.
2. Pappardelle Italian Pasta
Pappardelle Pasta derives its name from the Italian word- ‘pappare’ which means to ‘gobble up’. This implies that it is so tasty and easy to eat that the eater just gobbles it up.
It has a broad and flat ribbon-like shape which makes it look exotic with thick sauces like- meat-based sauces. Meat-based sauces like- Ragu and bolognese make the most popular combination with this Pasta. Additionally, it also stands out in seafood pasta dishes.
Pappardelle is widely popular in the meat-eating population of the world, and while it is not a household staple, it is certainly one of the best types of pasta.
Popular Dishes
Bolognese Pappardelle, Crab and Asparagus Pappardelle, Pine nut pappardelle and Sausage Pappardelle.
3. Macaroni type of Pasta
Macaroni is one of the most generally consumed pasta in the world. Almost every pasta lover has eaten it at some part of his life. This is because it has a small curved tubular type of shape. This structure makes it able to hold sauces and cheese between the tube, which makes it suitable for most of the Pasta dishes of the world.
Additionally, due to its hollow shape, it has a floating nature, making it good for Pasta dishes with more sauce or curry than the Pasta.
Macaroni is best known for the popular dish Mac ‘n Cheese, in which it doesn’t hold any sauces and just floats in the cheese sauce, making it as divinely tasteful as it sounds.
Popular Dishes
Mac ‘n Cheese, Stovetop Macaroni, Keema Macaroni and Indian Masala Macaroni Pasta.
4. Farfalle
Farfalle Pasta derives its name from the same Italian word which stands for ‘butterfly’. It completely justifies its name as it is exactly of a butterfly shape. Similarly, it is also called a ‘bow-tie’ Pasta by some as its shape also resembles a bow tie.
It is a small pasta but with a large surface area which makes it perfectly suitable to hold cheese and sauce in its wings. Hence, most of the Farfalle dishes use cream-based sauces to efficiently use this feature.
Farfalle Pasta is best known for its use in creamy sauces or Pasta salads. It is one of the most versatile Pasta and also adds a fancy look to delicacies making it hugely popular among kids and parents alike.
Popular Dishes
Chicken Mozzarella Farfalle , Chicken Bruschetta Farfalle , Greek Farfalle Salad and Farfalle chips.
5. Italian Angel hair pasta
Angel hair Pasta is similar to Spaghetti in shape type but thinner and more delicate. Now you can imagine why it is named ‘Angel hair.’ It is a good choice for dishes with light oil-based and cream sauces. Anything too thick or chunky can make it a little messy. Additionally, shredded veggies and meat can be used with it to make it more nutritious and tasty. These shreddings tend not to disturb the texture and look of the dish and hence, are better than chunks.
It is best known for its combination with marinara sauce. It can also be paired with seafood sauce and light tomato sauce.
Popular Dishes
Angel Hair with Chicken Vegetable Soup, Kimchi Angel Hair Noodles, Angel hair Carbonara and Angel Hair Puttanesca.
6. Penne
Penne is one of the most common Pasta names in the world. Maybe it would also be present in your kitchen currently. It has a hollow cylinder shape with diagonal cuts at either end. This makes it suitable to serve with dishes with thick cream and sauces as it holds them pretty well. Salad dishes also go well with it.
It even comes in different flavours of herbs and veggies, but the most popular one is the spinach one. Additionally, egg-flavoured Penne is another popular choice.
It is best known for its combination with tomato sauce and also its most classic variant with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Popular Dishes
Spinach Pesto Penne, Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Penne, French Onion Penne and Tomato Basil Penne.
7. Ravioli
Ravioli is a type of Pasta with the shape of an envelope or pillow. They have pinched edges and a wrinkled texture which makes them suitable for soups and sauce. Also, it can be filled with cheese, veggies, herbs, or other fillings which makes it one of the most all-around Pastas among its peers.
The variety that Ravioli offers is simply out of the world. Its dough can be made up of different materials, then there can be a variety in the stuffings and then the various creams and sauces that it can be mixed with. It is truly a special type of Pasta.
It is best known for its combination with meat and cheese. The dish’s name is Italian Ravioli with meat and cheese.
Popular Dishes
Spinach Ravioli with Ricotta cheese filling, Three-Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Tuscan Ravioli and Pesto Ravioli with spinach and tomato.
8. Fusilli
Fusilli is a type of Pasta with a spiral shape. This structure helps it to catch veggies, meat chunks and extra sauce in it. Hence, it is suitable for dishes with chunky meat and veggies and also for thick sauces.
It is one of the most common Pasta types in the world due to its versatility with different foodstuff and also for the texture that it provides to the dish. Believe it or not, but a Fusilli truly makes a dish look like a thing of beauty. Also, the taste that it provides is just other-worldly.
Fusilli is best known for its combination with chunks and sausages which can either be meat or plant-based.
Popular Dishes
Fusilli Tomatina, Red sauce Fusilli, Meat sauce Fusilli and Fusilli Alla Carprese.
Also read the Side Effects of Maggi or Instant Noodles – A Complete Guide.
FAQ Regarding Types of Pasta
These are the various shapes of Pasta:
1. Round shape 2. Spiral shape 3. Ribbon shape 4. Bow-tie shape
5. semicircular shape 6. ear shape 7. Hollow tube shape
Flat and wide Pasta like Pappardelle is better in holding creamier sauces, while long and round pasta like Angel Hair and Spaghetti are better in holding thin sauces like tomato sauce.
Macaroni is actually a type of Pasta so, they are not different.
Macaroni Pasta’s name comes from the Italian word’ maccheroni’ which refers to elongated pasta.
Pasta is a high-carb food and can raise body fat levels when consumed in large amounts. Although nowadays there’s a growing no. of healthier Pasta types which can be consumed to be fit.
Pasta provides us simple carbs along with a good amount of fibre and a respectable amount of protein. Thus it can be part of your healthy diet as it can provide us taste along with nutrients and at a lower number of calories.
Pasta is usually made up of a dough of wheat, sometimes also combined with an egg. Alternatively, rice and legume dough are also used sometimes.
Pasta has a high glycemic index which makes it bad for consumption by diabetics.
Editor’s Note | Types of Pasta
Pasta is one of the staple foods of the 21st century. It is carb-rich and also loaded with fibre and protein. And, even more, nutritious alternatives are coming up every day to match the growing health concerns in the world. Pasta made up of chickpeas, soy, lentils, etc. are just a few to name. Numerous shapes and sizes of Pasta are there in the world and still growing every day.
It is one of the greatest delicacies in the world. The various mouth-watering variations in shapes, presentation, fillings, chunks and sauces only add more value.
And while Pasta is one great food to have, we should also be aware of the health value that it brings. Currently, Pandemics and pollution are taking a toll on our physical and mental well-being, and fitness is the only way to fight them. But hey, I’m not trying to lecture you all about health and fitness. I’m just asking you to be aware of the fact that everything acts the best when taken in moderation. The same goes for eating Pasta. It can be healthy as stated here but should be still consumed in moderation.
So, consume your Pasta but in moderation or use the healthy alternative Pasta like the ones mentioned above.
And hey, don’t just stop eating Pasta, because how would you live without such a divine feeling of creamy Pasta slipping in your mouth while the extra sauce just soothes your taste buds to a new level.
